Notice of Annual Meeting to be Held: December 16, 2009 Fruitville Library 6:00 p.m.
To All Residents and Property Owners of Meadow Walk:
We shall be holding our 2009 Annual Meeting to discuss and decide on very important and imperative issues. More than ever we need to come together as a community. Our everyday lives are vested here in our neighborhood of Meadow Walk. Your presence and participation at our Annual Meeting is much needed.
Board of Directors Vacancies:
There are two open seats on our HOA board. Please seriously consider volunteering to serve a term. We need a complete board to continue functioning successfully. Enclosed are Nominee forms. Please fill out the forms and mail them to Meadow Walk HOA, Inc., P.O. Box 51533, Sarasota, FL 34232, or save a stamp and walk them over to Gary Walsh at 1033 Meadow Breeze Lane by December 1, 2008.
Not having a full membership of at least five members on the Board always presents the probability of not having a quorum to conduct official business. Please consider joining our Board of Directors team. This is a volunteer service to our neighborhood and we recognize that the members of the Board also have their personal professions and affairs to attend to. There will be times when one or two members may be unavailable or out of town. A full board will help guarantee a quorum whenever it is needed. Not having a quorum can result in not being able to meet to officially address our HOA obligations. Such a situation leaves us open to the state taking over and appointing an outside management company. Our statutes allows this. While this might be more convenient to resort to, it will also cost us much more in assessments.
Judgments and Foreclosures:
JUDGEMENTS: Going to court and seeking judgments on assessment collections is not the way we want to go and yet it has been necessary to do so. To date we have received judgment on one case and another is pending for total collections of $3,000. Over the course of time, these accumulated and increasing late fees have thrown us off budget. Not to mention the time and related costs of going through the process of collection. The receipt of these monies cannot be fully determined or counted on.
FORECLOSURES: As we all know the dark cloud of foreclosures continues. Sadly six homes in our community are facing foreclosure. We all feel for and deeply sympathize with our affected neighbors. And yet there is the larger situation we need to continually address, that of the timely, sustainable, and independent functioning of our HOA.
In new foreclosure cases, our HOA is served a summons by the court as a named defendant in the complaint. This inclusion is done by the holding bank of the defaulted mortgage. We have had to hire a lawyer to immediately respond to the court to prevent a judgment from being rendered on our HOA for non-compliance, thereby losing our right to claim owed dues and assessments. This is yet another way that mortgagor banks are legally resorting to in foreclosure actions to avoid being held liable for any unpaid fees owed by the defaulting homeowner. We can foresee more of such added legal responses and expenses for our HOA to face.
Funds and Budget:
FUNDS: Current funds available will cover payables and expenses through the end of 2009. This year in addition to the regular monthly maintenance items, we were able to pay for the special project of refurbishing the plants on the littoral shelf. Our shortfall and budgetary difficulties from last year have been corrected, but uncollected assessments continue to keep the annual fee’s higher than they should be.
BUDGET: We have projected our 2010 budget to cover contingencies, increasing costs and any other special project expenses for our community of Meadow Walk, and will be discussed at the annual meeting.
Assessment of Homeowners Dues:
Last year we increased our HOA fee to $600 annually. Although this is a reasonable fee we agreed to re-address the increase and provided we able to get the budget and collection of fee’s under control, we would look at reducing the fee’s for 2010.
1. Dues for 2010 are proposed to be $550.00 Annually per
Resident/homeowner.
Collection of Assessment Dues:
Our bylaws specify that the full annual assessment is due and payable every January of the new calendar year. Consideration was made to allow for the semi annual payment of dues.
We ask all of you, our neighbors to please come to this very important meeting. We look forward to seeing you. Your Meadow Walk HOA Board,
Gary Walsh, Joe Stewart, Shana Bickel, Janet Dunay
District asks homeowners to “Skip a Week” of irrigation this winter
Overwatering in winter can encourage pests and disease
The Southwest Florida Water Management District recently launched a new campaign to encourage residents who irrigate their lawns to “Skip a Week” of watering during the cooler months of December, January and February.
According to research by the University of Florida, grass doesn’t need to be watered as often during the cooler months. In fact, one-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days is sufficient.
“Over-watering in the winter can encourage pests and disease in your lawn,” said Sylvia Durell, Florida-friendly landscaping project manager. Skipping a week of watering is as easy as “off” for residents with irrigation timers. “Turn the timer to ‘off’ for the week that you want to skip, and ‘on’ for the week that you want to water,” said Durell.
Homeowners can determine when their grass needs water when:
Grass blades are folded in half lengthwise on 30 percent of the lawn
Grass blades are blue-gray
Footprints remain on the lawn for several minutes after walking on it
Skipping a week of irrigation will help conserve drinking water supplies. Following the “Skip a Week” plan saves water that the public needs for other critical uses during the dry season.
In addition to entering the dry season, the region is experiencing the effects of a four-year drought. All 16 counties within the District are under one-day-per-week lawn watering restrictions through the end of February.
For more water conservation tips, information about the drought and the current water restrictions, please visit the District’s web site at WaterMatters.org/skipaweek.
HOA Meeting Scheduled For Wed. Sept. 30th
Below is the Agenda for this coming Wednesday’s HOA meeting. This is the third of four meetings scheduled for this year and all interested residents are invited to attend. Ss usual the meeting will be held at the Fruitville Public Library and begins at 6:30 p.m.
AGENDA FOR 9/30/09
CALL MEETING TO ORDER @ 6:30 PM
SECRETARIES REPORT:
Read/Accept minutes of last meeting
Acknowledge correspondence and read into minutes if necessary.
Treasures report:
A. Status of payments for 2009.
B. Bank balance.
C. Mailing of statements for second half of 2009 & response.
D. Liens on foreclosed properties
Modification committee:
Old Business:
A. Status on Lawn service contract
B. Status on lakes and littoral shelf.
C. status on having lawn service price the fixing up of center island @ entrance
New business:
A. charging empty homes fee’s for cutting grass
B. Send letters to home owners and banks about maintaining yards and homes.
C. Change number of days a boat or trailer can be parked in driveway,(also applies to commercial vehicles)
Any pressing issues or comments from members in attendance.
Adjourn by 8:00 p.m.
What’s Going On at Palmer and Apex?
Celery Fields Regional Stormwater Facility Expansion
The purpose of this project is to provide floodplain storage, reduce flooding and improve the quality of water flowing from the stormwater facility to the bay. The project is designed to reduce street and structure flooding of 15 homes downstream of Phillippi Creek. After construction is complete the area will continue to be a passive recreation facility for public use. Planned as part of the construction are:
During construction, the existing parking and gazebo area will be closed to public use. Alternative parking is available at Ackerman Park and Fruitville Library. Additionally, various sidewalks in the area and portions of the Celery Fields facility will be closed for public safety durning construction.
While the stormwater project is under construction, two other county projects will be underway in the same area. A temporary fire rescue station will be built at the intersection of Apex and Palmer roads and the wooden bridge on Raymond Road will be replaced with a new concrete structure. A permanent fire station will be constructed at the Apex and Palmer site beginning in 2011. read more…
Second HOA Meeting Of 09′ In The Books
The second of four Meadow Walk yearly HOA meetings was held last night at the Fruitville Public Library. Reports were given on finances, the wetlands and foreclosures in the community. A measure was made and approved to maintain the pristine condition of our newly repaired and painted wall by having it cleaned once a year. James McDonnell our resident painting contractor will be handling that project.
A reminder to all residents that the second installment of our yearly HOA fees is due by July 1st. Those fees this year were raised to $600 from last years $450 because of the need to replenish our cash reserves due to the large expenditure last year to repair and paint the wall and a rising number of foreclosures in the Meadow Walk community. Those dues will be examined at the end of the year and will more than likely be lowered for 2010.
The Minutes of last nights meeting will be posted here on this website as soon as it becomes available. The Board would like to thank all those who took the time from their busy schedules to attend the meeting.
Agenda of HOA Meeting for Wednesday June 24
Meeting Will Be Called To Order @ 6:30 PM
Secretaries Report:
Read minutes of last meeting
Acknowledge correspondence and read into minutes if necessary.
Read letters sent to homeowners and discuss follow up to those who are not in compliance.
Treasures Report:
A. Status of payments for 2009.
B. Bank balance.
C. mailing of statements for second half of 2009
Modification Committee:
Old Business:
A. Lawn service contract
B. Status on lakes and littoral shelf.
New Business:
A. Get quote to power wash wall
B. Talk to Family Lawn about fixing up island with plants and new bushes, fertilize existing bushes.
C. Send letters to home owners and banks about maintaining yards and homes.
D. Change number of days a boat or trailer can be parked in driveway,(also applies to commercial vehicles)
Report on community wide yard sale
Any pressing issues or comments from members in attendance.
Adjourn by 8:00 pm
Next Scheduled HOA Meeting Wed. June 24th
The second of four annual HOA community meetings is scheduled for Wednesday, June 24th, 6:30Pm at the Fruitville public library. The Board is putting together an Agenda for this meeting and invite any community member who has an item they’d like to be addressed contact the Board. That Agenda will be posted here 48 hours before that meeting.
One item that will be addressed are the Foreclosures underway in Meadow Walk. The Banks behind those foreclosures in some cases are failing to take over responsibility for care and maintenance of those properties. Another item on the Agenda will be the increasing disregard for the rules regarding commercial vehicles and boats being stored or left in driveways longer than the alloted time current HOA laws allow.
Meadow Walk Annual Garage Sale Big Success
Saturday’s Annual Garage Sale came off without a hitch and was once again a big hit. Mother nature cooperated nicely with weather you couldn’t have ordered off a menu any easier. At no time during the day was traffic an issue and many garages had a little more space at the end of the day.
I for one had a steady flow of customers all day and wasn’t able to venture to far from my front door for fear of missing them. Lucky for me as I would have more than likely spent whatever I made on someone else’s former treasures storing them for next years garage sale.
Special thanks to Board director Janet Dunay for getting the flyer out to everyone ahead of time and for getting those signs posted and to everyone who made it such a great community wide event.
Decision Reached On Littoral Shelf Management
In a unanimous vote taken at Monday’s HOA meeting the Board has decided a change is in order concerning the management of our wetlands and littoral shelf. Creative Wetlands has managed the wetlands and littoral shelf since control was handed over to the HOA from the builders in 2001.
A review by the Board in regards to monies spent each year and the return on that investment, along with some great recommendations and a yearly savings of approximately $2000, led to it’s decision.
Aquatic Solutions Inc. will take over wetlands management as of May 1st, 2009. Aquatic Solutions has been called, and we’re quoting from the BBB website, “The Best lake and pond management company in the area. Extremely knowledgeable and professional, highly recommended”
First Board Meeting of 2009 Is In the Books
The first of four scheduled HOA meetings for 2009 was held this past Monday, March 30th at the Fruitville Public Library. The minutes from that meeting will be posted here shortly.
The Agenda for the Meeting included a report from HOA Secretary Dolly Fenix, a treasurer’s report given by President Gary Walsh, and a review of all our present outside vendors. A request for a Spring Garage Sale at Meadow Walk in April was made and approved. The meeting was adjourned at 7:50 p.m. and was considered very productive by all those in attendance.
